Maria Ortiz Borden, Co-Executive Director

Maria Ortiz Borden is Co-Executive Director of BC Pulse.

Maria has over 17 years of experience working in the non-profit sector in the areas of fund development and program management. She led efforts to build organizational sustainability and capacity. She has extensive experience in developing and managing programming focused on meeting the needs of children and families.

Maria is a trained facilitator and organizer of the ERAC/Ce (Eliminating Racism and Claiming/Celebrating Equality) and CrossRoads’ Anti-Racism, Anti-Bias Introductory Workshop. She was instrumental in developing the YWCA of Kalamazoo Racial Justice programming and training while serving as Chief Program Officer. During her 11 year tenure, the YWCA of Kalamazoo received national YWCA recognition for their Racial Justice Programming. Maria has consulted and facilitated several individuals, organizations, and groups on their racial justice efforts. She has a passion for working with organizations, collaboratives and institutions to address systemic racism, increase their cultural competency, and promote efforts toward racial healing.

Maria holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science from Michigan State University. She completed training through the Harvard Business School on Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations.

Maria moved from Kalamazoo to the greater Battle Creek area in 2011. She is a current Board Member of the Woman’s Coop. She and her partner are raising three daughters who attend school in the Pennfield School District.

BC Pulse, a project of Michigan State University, supports collective action and learning utilizing the ABLe Change Framework to create systems change to ensure that every child in Battle Creek has equal opportunity to experience quality early learning, health, economic security, safety & nurturing care.